Abu Bakr al-Hudhali said: I visited al-Hasan (al-Basri), and he said: Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) held a special station with regard to the Qur'an. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say: "That is a young man with the wisdom of the elders; he has a tongue that asks much and a heart that understands well." He would stand on this minbar of ours - probably on the evening of Arafah - and recite Surah al-Baqarah and Surah Al Imran, then explain them verse by verse. He was a flowing spring of knowledge, lush and fertile.
Hadith Referenceالمعجم الكبير للطبراني / باب العين / 10574